The Nine: Savannah McNulty

Why You Should Know Her: The recipient of the first-ever Geri Wolff Scholarship Award from the Digital Signage Federation, Savannah McNulty and her work are inspiring young women to tap into their creativity and create memorable moments. A third-year graphic design student at the Savannah College of Arts & Design, McNulty is constantly learning new ways to use her artistic sensibility for corporate projects, conveying a specific message through designs tailored to the digital signage market.

How She Got Here: McNulty’s love for art and design began when she was very young and she happened to meet a local artist—“She saved me when I fell off my bike, and told me she was an artist,” McNulty said. “I started going to her house to study art and that helped develop my interest from a young age.”

McNulty continued to work on projects throughout high school, mostly in video, and started to build a portfolio. In college, her original major was in special education, but she quickly realized that her true passion lay in art. After a little research, she decided to take the graphic design track.

“With graphic design, I am able to invoke emotions and use my design to create something meaningful. By creating art, you spread a message and make something memorable, which is something I don’t think I’d be able to do in a different profession,” McNulty said.

On Her Scholarship: The Geri Wolff Scholarship Award was created by the Digital Signage Federation as a way to encourage young students to pursue a career in digital signage and to honor a young woman committed to a profession in computer sciences or a related field. It is also a way to encourage employment diversity in IT-related fields. To apply, McNulty had to write an essay explaining how digital signage designs influence her work, as well as provide a portfolio submission and recommendations from her teachers.

“Graphic design and digital signage are very closely related,” she said, adding that earning the scholarship was a good reminder that she chose the right career path. “It’s great to see how I can put so much of my heart into something and be recognized for it. When I first got to school, I doubted myself, but I am proving to myself every day in class that I am good at this.”

Looking to the Future: With graduation only a short time away, McNulty is already thinking about where she would like to work: “I really want to work with Disney. When I was younger, I was all about working in the parks and trading pins, but I’ve realized that I’m more interested in the behind the scenes work, designing maps and creating visuals for the parks.”